## IMF Mission Concludes Visit to El Salvador

_IMF News, December 20, 2016_

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**Canonical URL:** [IMF Mission Concludes Visit to El Salvador](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2016/12/20/pr16574-el-salvador-imf-mission-concludes-visit)

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## Bibliographic details
- Published: December 20, 2016

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### Purpose and scope of the mission
- Press Release No. 16/574
- Mission dates: December 14 to 20, 2016
- Objective: assess the political support of the authorities and the parliamentary opposition for a policy agenda consistent with the recommendations of the 2016 Article IV Staff Report
- Team leader: Mr. Daniel Kanda

### Key findings and assessments
- “Government officials, members of congress across the political spectrum, and private sector representatives expressed strong support for a potential Fund backed economic reform program, despite differences regarding the mix of revenue and expenditure measures that could underpin the needed fiscal adjustment.”
- Consensus view: a Fund program would help catalyze agreement on a policy package that would:
  - support fiscal adjustment while protecting the most vulnerable
  - boost financial sector soundness
  - help establish conditions conducive for higher and more inclusive economic growth
- The government “continues to make progress on the technical preparations that would underpin this policy agenda.”
- The team “stressed the need for high-quality fiscal measures and higher transparency in government and public enterprises, complemented by policies aimed at boosting the resilience of the financial sector, creating a more attractive climate for investment and jobs, and strengthening the social safety net to protect the poor.”
- The IMF team expressed appreciation for “the frank and productive discussions and the warm hospitality of our Salvadoran counterparts.”

### Policy recommendations and emphasis
- Adopt high-quality fiscal measures to underpin fiscal adjustment
- Increase transparency in government and public enterprises
- Implement policies to boost financial sector resilience
- Create a more attractive climate for investment and jobs
- Strengthen the social safety net to protect the poor

### Stakeholder engagement during the visit
- Meetings held with:
  - Vice-President Oscar Ortiz
  - Technical Secretary Roberto Lorenzana
  - Finance Minister Carlos Cáceres
  - Economy Minister Tharsis Solomon López
  - Minister of Health Violeta Menjivar
  - Central Bank President Oscar Cabrera
  - Leader of ARENA party Mauricio Interiano
  - other senior government officials, members of congress from both major parties, and representatives of the private sector

### Forward-looking statements
- The IMF team looks forward to continuing its engagement with all relevant stakeholders in the period ahead.

*IMF Press Release No. 16/574 — December 20, 2016*

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## References

- [El Salvador and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/SLV/index.htm)
- [Press Releases](https://www.imf.org/en/news/searchnews)
- [PRESS CENTER](http://presscenter.imf.org/)
- [https://www.imf.org/en/home](https://www.imf.org/en/home)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2016/12/20/pr16574-el-salvador-imf-mission-concludes-visit_